







In English we use the present simple tense to talk about facts or things that are always true, as well as things in general. Present simple is also used to talk about a repeated action such as a habit, a hobby, a daily event, a scheduled event or something that often happens.
In English we use 'do' and 'does' as auxiliary verbs in negatives and questions and we often use the present simple with adverbs of frequency such as sometimes, always, often, never, usually, rarely, and hardly ever.
Notes for use of present simple :
In the third person, ‘s’ is added to the verb form. For example;
work --> works
run --> runs
live --> lives
For verbs that end in 'o', 'sh', 'ch', 's' and 'x', we add 'es' to the verb form. For example;
go --> goes
wish --> wishes
watch --> watches
kiss --> kisses
fax --> faxes
For verbs that end in a consonant + 'y', we change the 'y' to 'i' and add 'es'. For example;
try --> tries
study --> studies
The table below shows the different forms of present simple :
Example Verb : Work | I / You / We / They | He / She / It |
| Positive | ... work. | ... works. |
| Negative | ... don't work. | ... doesn't work. |
Questions | Do ... work? | Does ... work? |
| Short answers | Yes, ... do. / No, ... don't. | Yes, ... does. / No, ... doesn't. |
For the verb 'to be' we use 'am', 'is', 'are' in the present simple. No auxiliary verbs are used in negative sentences and questions.
Verb: Be | I | You / We / They | He / She / It |
| Positive | I'm ... | ... 're ... | ... 's ... |
| Negative | I'm not ... | ... aren't ... | ... isn't ... |
| Questions | Am I ... ? | Are ... ...? | Is ... ...? |
| Short answers | Yes, I am. / No, I'm not. | Yes, ... are. / No, ... aren't. | Yes, ... is. / No, ... isn't. |
Present Simple Example Sentences :
Positive Examples of Present Simple :
Negative Examples of Present Simple :
Question Examples of Present Simple :
| Present simple example sentences | |
|---|---|
| Isn't it just a simple meeting cancellation? | |
| Do you have any area in mind? | |
| He is one of my best friends, unfortunately. | |
| Can I get you some more drinks? | |
| Do you know the pub around the corner? | |
| Anyway, what else do we have left to do now? | |
| The place I am having the meeting is very close to Brighton Pier. | |
| She is half Japanese, half Australian. | |
| My sisters live nearby, they help her sometimes. | |
| Which appointment? Do you mean the house in Angel? | |
| Oh god, I feel too tired now. | |
| Also, one of my friends works there. | |
| But one of them is £2.44 and the other one is £1.22. | |
| Not long, my lessons start at 12:30. | |
| What kind of music do you like the most? | |
| Is that right? | |
| Then he finds out he is a robot, not a real kid. | |
| Umm... We are married... I mean, today is our wedding anniversary! | |
| That's nice, I like the music and the lyrics. | |
| Thanks for warning me now, that's very helpful! | |